Voices From the Past
by Abarero
Summary: Bankotsu never liked the snow, but this year, the foreboding feeling was worse than it had ever been before. Why was it now that he was 17 he felt as if both his life and Jakotsu’s were in danger? BankotsuJakotsu


Author's Notes: Okay, this was a random idea that all started when I thought about Bankotsu thinking about snow, and how, due to their deaths in a snowy village, the snow would be upsetting to him. It's an AU setting, sometime in modern era, yet, it has ties to and spoilers for the Shichinin-tai arc of the anime/manga. It's also Bankotsu/Jakotsu in a romantic sense so if that's unsettling to you, then here's your chance to turn back and find something else you'd rather read.

Also, this story is an entrant in the "inuyashafanfic" Livejournal community contest.

As always, please read, review and enjoy ; Tis but a one-shot, so this is it in it's entirety.

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---Voices from the Past---

"It's…snowing," he mouthed the words to himself as he pressed his hand against the cold glass.

Snow should make him cheerful, he reasoned. It made Jakotsu happy, it made a lot of people happy- but for Bankotsu Asazuki, it gave him a queasy feeling that something horrible was about to happen. He couldn't explain it; he'd always been that way since he was little. Now, he was seventeen and living in an apartment with his best friend, and self-proclaimed "boy friend," and the feeling was worse than it had ever been before.

"Ooooh, it's so pretty!" Jakotsu's voice rang out across the room as he rushed over to the windowsill.

Bankotsu smiled; the only thing that made him feel at ease when it was snowing was Jakotsu.

"It just started, but it looks like it's going to stick this time," he spoke after a moment of silence.

"Then it's probably going to get awfully cold tonight," Jakotsu replied; his arms snaking around the shorter man's waist.

Bankotsu started to protest, then stopped himself. Bad habits took awhile to break and he was slowly forcing himself not to panic every time Jakotsu touched him.

"_It's been six months…with him,_" he thought to himself, reflecting on the half of a year, "_And I still freak out like I used to._"

Looking about the room quickly, Jakotsu halted his thoughts by gently grabbing his face.

"What's wrong?"

He opened his mouth to reply, then paused. It was the same feeling he always had when Jakotsu was more forward with him. He felt like he had to be on guard, that someone might be watching that shouldn't be. And no matter how many times he thought that over, he couldn't figure out why. They were completely alone in their apartment.

"That strange feeling again?" Jakotsu asked after a moment.

"Yeah. Sorry," he muttered in reply.

"I swear, ever since you turned seventeen you act like spirits are breathing down your neck. I still bet that that fortune teller was right; something happened to you in a past life when you were seventeen."

Frowning, he pushed himself a bit away and looked off to the snow once more, "And I told you I don't believe in that bullshit. I mean, what could have happened to a seventeen year old in the past that would make me act like this?"

Jakotsu paused, thinking over all the strange situations that made Bankotsu feel awkward.

"_Anytime I touch him, he panics like he's about to be caught red-handed. He says snow makes him feel like something horrible is about to happen. When someone mentioned a "daimyou" he totally freaked out, and muttered something about them being lying bastards. Then, he developed a random affection for sake and an interest in swords. That's not even counting the fact he said our names made him feel strange. Sure they're uncommon, but our parents were good friends and like old legends, so it's not really that odd. Hmmm, what could have happened to some seventeen year old in the past that would cause all this?_"

A gentle tug at his sleeve brought Jakotsu from his ponderings.

"Ja-Jakotsu…"

"Hmm?"

Bankotsu fidgeted and warily looked back over to the snow. Slowly, and after once again scanning the room with his eyes, he reached out and took Jakotsu's hand.

Seeing his downcast and somber expression, Jakotsu gently squeezed Bankotsu's hand in reassurance. "Bankotsu? What now? What's wrong?"

"It's stupid."

"Tell me."

"No really, it's really stupid." He protested, pulling back away and scowling at the wall.

Jakotsu paused and spoke up, "Another strange feeling about something?"

He didn't reply.

"Bankotsu, you can tell me..."

"I'm afraid," he said, cutting Jakotsu off, "Seeing this snow, it makes me feel like you or I or both of us- something bad is going to happen."

"_The snow?__ Why snow?_" The taller man thought.

In a quiet voice Bankotsu continued, head hung down, "I don't want you to die. I don't want to be alone."

Blinking in shock, Jakotsu moved over to his side, "Why do you think that…"

"Just that feeling. I feel like I'm going to lose you and that…well, it terrifies me."

Pulling him into his arms, Jakotsu absently stroked the shorter man's long braid, "Shhh. Everything will be fine. I'm not leaving you or dying or anything else that this stupid premonition is telling you."

He remained silent, inwardly enjoying the feeling of having those strong arms around him and the gentle touch of the hands on his long braid. Bankotsu calmed a bit, then after pondering on the situation further, nervously spoke up, "Jakotsu…" he muttered against the man's chest.

"Hmm?"

He took a deep breath, his voice shaky, "Just-just in case…"

"In case?"

"In case something happens."

"I told you that nothing was..."

Bankotsu stopped him with a finger to his lips.

"I-I just need to make sure you know that..." he bit his lip, turning his face to the side with a blush, "that even though I've never said or done anything in return- that I...I feel the same."

Jakotsu froze, his thoughts running rampant.

Sure he'd been attracted to the young man, how could he not when they shared a room and a bed? But Jakotsu had been openly gay from the start; Bankotsu- well, even though he wasn't exactly stopping Jakotsu's advances, he seemed skittish all along. A few kisses here and there, and voiced wishes that Bankotsu was willing for more, that was all that transpired between them. Jakotsu was never joking when he told Bankotsu that he loved him, but he never dreamed that there would be something in return. He was just content that Bankotsu didn't shun him completely like the rest of the world seemed to. What little hope he'd had about their relationship had been killed with these strange premonitions that Bankotsu kept having that caused the braided man to push him away even more so; but now he was saying this?

"You…" Jakotsu swallowed hard, trying to formulate the words, "You mean you…"

Nodding mutely in reply, Bankotsu's blush deepened.

Had Jakotsu been the type to cry when extremely happy, tears would have been streaming down his face at that moment, as he forcefully kissed the other man to attempt to convey the emotions that had been awakened.

Slowly, allowing himself to relax, Bankotsu returned the kiss.

And as the snow continued to fall outside the two stood together in that embrace; silhouetted against the window.

------------------------------

Night fell quickly, and as the stars began to light themselves in the sky, Bankotsu watched as the foreboding snow was still falling outside the bedroom window.

"Bankotsu?"

He turned to the figure that was lying beside him, a blush etching itself on his face when he realized that Jakotsu was still without his clothing.

"Something still bothering you? It wasn't that I…" Jakotsu bit his lip, afraid that even the advancement they'd made might have been too much. He knew better than trying to push Bankotsu all the way right now, but he was beginning to regret that he'd pushed as far as he had.

Bankotsu shook his head, "No- it's not you. Don't think that."

"Then what is it?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe I'm just tired," he reasoned.

"It's been a bit of an eventful day; perhaps we should sleep," Jakotsu replied, lying back and settling himself on the pillows. "You can stay next to me, if it'll make you feel any better," he offered, wondering if the premonition in the snow was still eating at Bankotsu and afraid without an offer that he wouldn't seek the closeness he needed.

Without a word, the braided-man sat up and moved a bit towards the one he was sharing the bed with, "Well, if you wouldn't mind…"

Smiling in reassurance, the taller man reached up and pulled Bankotsu down to him, resting his head on his bare chest.

"You never have to ask to be with me Bankotsu. I'll always be here for you."

Finding comfort in those words and the melodic rhythm of Jakotsu's heartbeat, he closed his eyes and let himself drift off to sleep.

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Images telling a story. A young man looking as he did. Another looking like Jakotsu. It was them and five other men. Fighting. Fighting for themselves. Fighting to live. Fighting for the sake of fighting. The names were the same. "Bankotsu" and "Jakotsu" were as they should be. Alongside each other, they battled the enemies they faced. Alongside each other, they found companionship. Alongside each other, they found love.

Story unfolding. Their tale turning tragic. A snowy day. The daimyou attacked. Shattering the trust. Chasing them. And in the snow covered village, they were cornered. Seven men, slowly outnumbered. Seven men, slowly becoming six. Becoming five. Becoming less and less as the swords' blows drew blood. They ran. The taller with his hair pulled up and held with a beautiful hairpin. The shorter with a long braid of black hair. They ran until the arrows came. The arrows came and they could move no further. And Bankotsu was held up. His face streaming with tears as they dragged Jakotsu to the one with the bloody sword. The one, who had killed the other five. The one, who was now going to take Jakotsu's life as well. And Bankotsu was forced to watch. As the blade. The blade was slowly raised. And as it swung downward, the mournful cry echoed across the snowy village.

"_JAKOTSU!_"

Eyes snapping open and a tear running down his face, Bankotsu sat up quickly in bed. The horrid image still haunting him and his body covered in a cold sweat. That's when, he noticed something amiss.

Jakotsu was missing from the room.

Panicked, he called out and looked around hastily. Eyes catching sight of the clock reading 10:37am, he realized what had happened.

"_It's okay. Jakotsu's just going to work. He's just walking to work right now._"

But before he could calm completely, he felt a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach and the mental image of the man about to cut off Jakotsu's head once again entered his mind.

"_He's walking…to work._"

Bankotsu looked out the window, seeing the figure of Jakotsu standing at the sidewalk waiting to cross the street.

Not having any explanation why, Bankotsu knew he had to go to him.

Shaking the horrid image from his mind again, he quickly pulled on some clothes and dashed out the door.

"_Jakotsu._"

His heart was racing.

"_I wouldn't mind being the leader of a band of skilled mercenaries_."

"_Will it only be you and I?_"

He felt like…

"_Will we have fun_?"

"_Yeah, it looks like we might._"

Like it was happening…

"_The Shichinin-tai have become too famous for their own good_."

All over again.

"_You have nowhere to run. All the daimyou have joined against you_."

And then…

"_I don't give a shit about the afterlife. I just do what I want when I'm alive_."

He'd be left…

"_You're the only one in the world I can really rely on- even if you're a bit weird._"

"_Really_?"

Alone.

"_You killed Jakotsu because you wanted his shard so much, right_?"

All alone.

"_The difference is I didn't betray my comrades_."

Again.

"_In the end…I'm alone now_."

Bankotsu rushed out the front of the apartment building. His breath ragged from running down the three flights of stairs so quickly.

A loud horn blared. A semi-truck.

Jakotsu was in the middle of the road. Looking down as he picked up the things that had fallen from his bag.

"No..." Bankotsu whispered, then running with all he had left, he made a dash for the hunched over figure.

"_If one is alive there's lots of things one can do._"

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The world was black. Everything was dark. Then, Bankotsu felt the cold little snowflakes melting on his skin.

Taking a deep breath, and dreading the worst, he opened his eyes.

Jakotsu was just staring at him, eyes wide in shock and his heart pounding.

"Jakotsu…"

Slowly, he shook off the shock and shakily reached out a hand to Bankotsu's face, "Bankotsu, you-you..."

Before he could finish, the braided man leaned down and kissed him. Jakotsu could feel the wetness of the other man's tears brushing his face as Bankotsu tightened his arms around him.

Finally pulling back they just looked at each other, still in disbelief of what had just happened.

Wanting to wipe away the tear that ran down the braided-man's face, Jakotsu winced as he tried to move his arm.

"What's wrong?" Bankotsu questioned, face growing serious.

"I think my arm's broken."

Looking back at the middle of the road where the contents of the bag were smashed into the snow and then to their current place across the street half-way in a snowdrift, Bankotsu silently thanked whatever it was that had been haunting him for causing him to go after Jakotsu.

"_I'm not going to let him go this time. I won't let him die as long as I live,_" he vowed silently.

Forcing himself to stand, he noticed a man standing outside the front of the apartment building.

"Are you both all right? Does he need a doctor?" The man called out.

Trying to find his voice, Bankotsu replied, "His arm's hurt. It might be broken."

The brown-haired man cautiously crossed the street after checking both ways, sitting his black bag aside Jakotsu as he knelt down.

"Okay, is it just your arm?" He asked.

Jakotsu nodded, "Yeah. At least, I think so."

"Thank goodness. When I saw your friend running out the door I knew something was wrong. You're so lucky he saw you out there in time," the man said, opening the bag and pulling out some things.

"You're a doctor?" Bankotsu asked.

"Yes. I just moved into the building earlier today. I was headed out to get some more of my belongings from the car when I saw you run out."

"Oh."

Beginning to splint the arm and wrap it in gauze, the doctor smiled, "Just a minor break. You might have it put in a cast, but this should take care of it for now."

"Thank you..." Jakotsu paused, still not knowing the young doctor's name.

"Ah, my name. Sorry about that. It's Suikotsu Hyouri."

The two men looked to each other, then back to the doctor.

"Um…is something wrong?" He questioned, not understanding their stares.

After a moment, Bankotsu extended a hand, "This might seem strange, but my name's Bankotsu and his name is Jakotsu."

"Well, that is quite the coincidence," he stood, brushing the snow off his slacks.

"Our parents were friends, so that's why ours are similar, but…"

"Life sure has some interesting twists to it," the doctor remarked, "but for now, we'd best get him inside before he gets chilled."

Nodding, Bankotsu stooped down to lift Jakotsu up. At first, Suikotsu stepped forward as if he was going to help but he quickly moved as he saw the young man easily lift his companion.

"If you don't mind…err... Suikotsu, could you help me get him back to our room?"

"No problem at all. I'm more than happy to help someone out."

The three men made their way back across the street; the tattered papers from Jakotsu's bag the only evidence anything out of the ordinary had happened.

As the snow began to fall to the ground yet again, three spirits smiled down on the three men.

"_The Shichinin-tai… will never die._"

--- The End ---


End file.
